Press



March 14, 1939. F. c. AUKERMAN 2,150,812

' PRESS I Filed April 22, 1936 ATTORNEYS WITNESS l? Q Auiermn INVEINTORPatented Mar. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to presses and more particularly to presses fordestroying cans especially for use by automobile service and fillingstations or other establishments having need for such devices, and hasfor the primary object the provision of a simple, durable andinexpensive device actuated by air or fluid pressure whereby cans andlike containers after being emptied may be mashed or mutilated toprevent their 10 reuse.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described and 15 claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 isa perspective view illustrating a can 20 destroying device constructedin accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view, partly in section, illustrating the device.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral I indicates arectangular base or anvil having secured thereto vertically arranged andspaced uprights 2 for supporting at the upper end there- 30 of an endplate 3 of a cylinder 4. The other end of the cylinder is closed by anend plate 5 secured to the end plate 3 by tie bolts 6. The end plate 3is perforated, to provide exhaust openings 1, and also has an opening 8through 5 which operates a plunger rod 9 carrying at one end a piston loperating in the cylinder 4 and the other end has secured thereto aplunger head ll slidably supported by the uprights 2 and operating inconjunction with the anvil l to mash 40 or mutilate cans and likecontainers to prevent further use thereof. The plunger head II is ofsubstantially rectangular formation and has secured thereto coil springsl2 which are supported by brackets l3 secured to the end plate of thecylinder. The springs l2 act to urge the plunger head upwardly and alsoto position the piston in its uppermost position within the cylinder.

A fitting I4 is secured to the end plate 5 and has connected thereto avalve l5. The valve !5 is connected to an air pressure or fluid pressuresource (not shown) by a pipe Hi. The valve [5 when in one position willadmit the pressure to the cylinder for acting on the piston III to drive5 the plunger head downwardly in the direction of the base or anvil l.Another position of the valve I5 closes the pressure to the cylinder andvents the latter to the atmosphere so that the springs I2 may act toreturn the piston and 10 plunger head to their uppermost position.

A device of the character described is efilcient in operation and may bereadily moved from one place to another and is easily connectible to anair or fluid pressure system.

Having described the invention, I claim:

A press for destroying cans, comprising a substantially rectangular baseproviding an anvil for receiving a can, uprights secured to and risingfrom the corners of the base, a cylinder including an end plateproviding a lower head therefor and secured to the upper ends of theuprights, an end plate providing an upper head for the cylinder, tiebolts between the plates for securing the upper head to its cylinder, apiston in the cylinder, a plunger rod secured to the piston and slidablymounted through the lower head, said lower head having exhaust openingstherein, a Substantially rectangular plunger head secured to the outerend of the plunger rod and having openings in the corners thereof toreceive the uprights for slidable movement on the latter to cooperatewith the anvil to crush a can, brackets secured to the upper head andextending in depending relation from diametrically opposite sidesthereof, coil springs having their end convolutions secured to thebrackets and plunger head respectively for holding and urging the latterupwardly in its normal position, a fitting threaded on the upper headand adapted to be 40 in communication with a source of fluid underpressure for introducing said fluid within the cylinder to act upon thepiston for disposing the plunger head in operative position, and valvemeans mounted on the fitting for controlling the fluid to and from thecylinder.

FRANK C. AUKERMAN.

